THE PUMPKIN FESTE

Today was the culmination of a summers anxious nurturing, training and quite a bit of espionage, at high noon the judging of the Annual Pumpkin Competition took place in the village hall.

This festival is always well attended as a good lunch is laid on with wine beer or cider and a great deal of fun is had by all.

My son and I were up betimes and with all our chores done we arrived at the hall in good time. A kind neighbour had ferried our entry to the hall, a mode of transport much preferred by my son, who would otherwise had had to push our pumpkin up the hill in a wheel barrow!

We sat at what has become known as “The Naughty Table” where all those given to practical jokes and merry badinage are kept safely apart from the more sedate entrants!

After lunch the formal weigh in began, it was obvious even before this event took place which of the entries had won, for at the end of the row a huge specimen almost twice the size of it's nearest rival towered over the opposition.

Until today we had all believed that the largest pumpkin belonged to a neighbour of ours, who's exhibit had hung all summer in plain sight on the wall surrounding of his cottage, its increasing girth had even been mentioned in the Parish Magazine on more than one occasion throughout the summer

The last minute entry had escaped the village spy ring who's task it was to report the progress of those known to be growing pumpkins for the show. Shrouded among a row of runner beans this giant had gone unnoticed and there were gasps of amazement as it was hefted, by several burly fellows in to the hall.

Our Table was a lucky one for among it's occupants were the second and third prize winners and the prize fr the prettiest pumpkin, which I am proud to say was grown by my son and I. It weighed in at a very respectable 26 pounds and was the sixth largest pumpkin in the hall.

Everyone at our table won a raffle prize and several of us won our chosen pumpkins in the auction which followed the judging.

It was great fun and a lovely way to spend a rainy Autumn afternoon..

I already have my pumpkin patch chosen for next year and my son will soon be out with a family friend on a manure rustling expedition to ensure a whopper for next years show.

Wouldn't it be great if we could grow a hundred pounder!

There is, however a slight problem, should anyone manage to grow a pumpkin weighing more than 120 pounds the scales will be unable to weight it and we will be obliged to ask our GP, who's surgery is located in the village hall for the loan of the scale which he uses to weigh his patients!